After a long wait and much anticipation, Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias has officially been released, and the season is jam-packed full of development for its plot and its characters. The season shows the town of Serenity dealing with a great deal of financial fallout and debt from its last Mayor’s (Paul Rolfes) mistakes, as well as a hurricane and the destruction that it causes. On a personal level, the Magnolias move forward in their relationships and careers, and the Townsend family deals with Bill’s (Chris Klein) sudden death.

This season of Sweet Magnolias wastes no time with filler moments, paying off a number of long-running storylines. After three seasons of buildup, Ty (Carson Rowland) and Annie (Anneliese Judge) finally get together in the Season 4 premiere. Helen (Heather Headley) and Erik (Dion Johnstone) get back together during the hurricane as well, and Isaac (Chris Medlin) finally gets a love interest, Michael (Kyle Findley). There is a lot to love about this season, especially the Christmas-themed season finale, and what it brings for the main characters and their careers and romances.

‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 4 Finale Makes Many Dreams Come True

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The Season 4 finale of Sweet Magnolias starts with Cal (Justin Bruening) trying to convince Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) to accept her dream marketing job in New York City. After a presentation from her family and a talk with Helen and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), Maddie asks the company for a better offer. Maddie receives her ideal offer and decides to accept the job. It is likely that her family will move there with her, and that Cal will visit Serenity frequently for work, although nothing has been decided yet. If the show gets renewed for another season, it could adapt to Maddie’s New York life by moving back and forth, or with a time jump that shows her visiting Serenity for a while.

Meanwhile, things are improving for the town of Serenity since the financial crisis and hurricane that rocked the season. Peggy (Brittany L. Smith) and Helen convince Henrietta (Greta Glenn) to become Town Manager, the library is on its way to being saved, and a group of kind people decide to help clean up the parks. Additionally, although Dana Sue has found a home for her insurance workshop, she will be primarily focusing on the spa in Maddie’s absence. To add to the good news, Ronnie’s (Brandon Quinn) bike touring company is about to get up and running thanks to Jimmy (Jon Briddell), and Serenity is about to get its first mobile health clinic.

‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 4 Finale Moves Its Romances Forward

As the townspeople of Serenity celebrate Christmas in the Season 4 finale, many of the show’s romances have positive developments. Most notably, Helen and Erik have been moving forward quickly in their relationship since reconciling during the hurricane. In the Season 4 finale, Helen’s mom (Janet Hubert) visits to celebrate the holiday with Helen and Erik. Erik proposes to Helen, and she accepts. The two are now happily engaged, and he has recently revealed that he’s open to having kids with her. Helen has suffered more than any other character in the last few seasons, and it is so nice to finally see her happy and getting everything she wants.

It was a delight this season to see Isaac finally get a love interest: his former college rival, Michael, who he starts to see differently when Michael is in Serenity for work. In the Season 4 finale, after a slow courtship process, Isaac and Michael finally kiss and get together. Additionally, Kyle (Logan Allen) and Lily (Artemis) end the season solidly, even as their problems this season, combined with Lily going to college, made it look like they would break up. Ronnie and Dana Sue have also moved past their shaky period this season as well and are happier than ever. Every romance in the show is doing well right now… except for its best one, that is.

‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 4 Finale Spells Trouble for Ty and Annie

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With three seasons of build-up and the utilization of many wonderful tropes, Ty and Annie’s romance is the best and most exciting love story in Sweet Magnolias. They were physically apart for most of the season as Ty went on tour with his band, but they remained a strong couple and stayed in frequent contact through it all. Now, in the Season 4 finale, their relationship becomes threatened as the two get closer to achieving their dreams. Annie has gotten into her dream school, and her parents have agreed to let her go, so she will be leaving for California next fall.

Ty is supportive after learning about Annie’s new path, but he hesitates to tell her that he and his band will be touring in Europe the following summer and fall as the opening act for a successful band. When Annie realizes that Ty is worried about something, she asks him about it, and he tells her. This easily could have been something that Ty and Annie worked through, by agreeing to visit each other and do long-distance. Ty’s mistake, though, is pushing Annie to defer her college acceptance for a year so that she can go on tour with him. This hits a sore spot for Annie, as she feels like Ty is trying to make her put her dreams on hold for his dreams.

This has been a common theme for multiple couples this season, as they try to work through the conflict between dreams and reality. Annie tells Ty that if he can’t wait another year after their 17 years of build-up, then that is their answer. They don’t use the word “breakup,” but it sure feels like a breakup, especially because Ty doesn’t push back at all. There is no doubt that these two will eventually end up together, but it seems like the road will be rocky for them in the meantime. Season 4 ends on this cliffhanger, as fans are left to only hope that Ty and Annie will make it through this rift and that it won’t take too long for them to do so. With Sweet Magnolias’ best romance hanging in the balance, a Season 5 renewal can’t come fast enough.

Sweet Magnolias is available to stream on Netflix.